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OLD SAILING SHIP PAINTS?

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  • Member since
    December 2002
OLD SAILING SHIP PAINTS?
Posted by SNOOPY on Monday, September 29, 2003 7:06 AM
Can any of you sailing ship modelers tell me whether the paint on them were a flat or a gloss. I was hoping "Hands On History" about ship making in Mystic could tell me. The instructions say flat paints and a book by Les Wilkins ( I think that is the proper name) "How to Build Ship Models" says he uses flat Floquil paints. From some other souces (modelers that do not do sail models all that often) says that it should be a gloss or semi-gloss because old paint back than was made from sap or tar or a varnish type substance. Should I be using gloss or flat? The ship is the USS United States.

Scott
  • Member since
    January 2003
Posted by Jeff Herne on Monday, September 29, 2003 8:54 AM
It's a mishmosh.

I did my constitution in a semi gloss for the hull, decks were flat, as were masts and yards and spars.

I would look for ppics of the Constitution and Constellation online. and do what you think looks best.

Jeff
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, September 29, 2003 4:21 PM
Period paints varied by nation, date, shipyard, even individual ships as they were repainted and touched up. If you can find a contemporary ship then copy that scheme, although it likely uses modern paints and a bit of gloss for the tourists. My research has never turned up historical records that accurately gave shade and gloss information, however most period paints did not have a high gloss, if any at all.
I don't do a lot of US research, but being a USS, wouldn't your Navy museums be able to help you out?
Good luck,
Bruce

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